Catchup dispenser



Dec. 5, 1950 Filed Oct. 4, 1948 F. DAMIANO CATCHUP DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet l 32 56 Fig 3 I I f 44 I2 34 20 l 34 34 Frank Damiano INVENTOR.

Dec. 5, 1950 F. DAMIANO 2,532,484

CATCHUP DISPENSER Filed Oct. 4, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig .4

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BY Z2...

Patented Dec. 5, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CATCHUP DISPENSER Frank Damiano, Newburgh, N. Y. Application October 4, 1948, Serial No. 52,685

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in dispensers for catchup, mustard, and other materials of a semi-fluid consistency, and the principal object of the invention is to facilitate dispensing 'of such materials in a convenient manner and in properly-regulated amounts or at a well-regulated rate of flow, as the case may be, thereby avoiding the conventionally experienced necessity of inverting and violently shaking the container, the undesirable consequences of which are well known.

This object is achieved by the provision of a dispenser which, broadly speaking, includes a container, a dispensing spout and means for efficiently delivering material from the container through the spout in such manner that the hands of the operator do not come in contact with the spout or the container.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for predetermining the amount of material dispensed in one operation.

An important advantage of the invention resides in its simplicity of construction, in its pleasing appearance, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

Referring now tothe accompanying drawings in detail, more particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the invention consists of a dispenser for catchup, mustard, and similar semi-fluid materials, the dispenser being designated by the general reference character H3 and embodying in its cons'truction a substantially cylindrical body l2 provided in the upper portion thereof with a recess 54 having a bottom wall It declining to a substantially rectangular opening !8, whereby the recess l i communicates with a horizontally elongated well or chamber provided in the lower portion of the body l2.

The upper edge portion of the recess IQ is internally screw-threaded as at 22 to accommodate {a complementarily screw-threaded neck portion An additional advantage resides in the provision of a dispenser which may be easily kept clean and wherein the supply of material, when exhausted, may be quickly and easily replenished.

With the above more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a modified embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 5 5 in Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a handle use in the embodiment shown in Figure 4. p

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

2 2- of a suitable container 26, a suitable gasket 28 being provided at the lower edge of the neck, for obvious reasons. Moreover, it is to be noted that the upper end of the container 25 terminates in a screw-threaded filler neck 36, equipped with a removable cap or cover 32.

The entire dispenser rests upon a plurality of legs 34 provided on the body i2, and an upwardly extending strap-like handle 33 is secured to the body as at 38 so that the entire dispenser may be easily carried from one location to another.

One end of the well 23 is provided with a re movable plug 49 which is secured to the body l2 as at 42, this plug being equipped with a seal (it and providing a bearing for a slidable rod it, to the inner end of which is, in turn, secured a piston 48 by a screw 5t. The piston is is reciprocable in the well 253 and the rod 35 projects outwardly substantially as shown.

An actuating lever equipped with a suitable finger-piece 55, is pivotally connected at one end thereof as at 56 to the upper end of the handle 35, while the lower end'of the lever is operatively connected by a pin and slot connection 58, 63 to the outer end of the rod it. Moreover, a suitable leaf spring 62 is interposed between the handle 3% and the lever 52, being secured to the handle as at 64.

A passagefifi is provided in the body it, this passage extending upwardly and outwardly from an end portion of the well 29 opposite to that equipped with the plug it, and an upwardly extending conduit 68 is secured at its lower end in the passage (it, being provided at its upper end with an arcuated spout it. If desired, a pivoted cover or cap 12 may be provided on the spout iii, so as to seal the conduit 58 and the well 29 from the atmosphere.

When the invention is placed in use, the con.- tainer 26 is simply filled with catchup, or the like, through the medium of the filler neck 3%, the catohup gravitating into the recess id and througn the opening I8 into the well 2%), as will be clearly apparent. Thereupon, by simply pressing the lever :52 toward the handle 36, the piston 68 will be caused to slide in the well 2c as shown at it and catohup will be expelled from the well through the passage b6, conduit 63 and the spout it. It should, of course, be understood that the pivoted cover i2 is pressure-actuated, so to speak, becoming automatically opened by the force of the material being dispensed.

After pressure on the lever 52 is released, the spring 52 will return the lever to its initial position. If desired, a stop screw it may be provided on the body 52 and arranged to extend into the well 22 as shown, so as to limit the inward sliding movement of the piston '38. In this manner, the volume of material: dispensed during one stroke of the piston may be pro-adjusted as desired.

Referring now to the accompanying Figures 4, 5 and 6, these illustrate a modified embodiment of the dispenser, designated generally by the reference character 8t and embodying in its construction a substantially oval-shaped body 82 formed with a well 8 2 which extends inwardly into the body substantially as shown and is internally screw-threaded at the outer end thereof, as at so as to receive a screw-threaded neck portion of an inverted container 88. This container may be of any conventional type, such as for example, that in which. the catohup, mustard, or the like, is supplied to the purchaser.

It is to be noted that a recess 95 exists in the lower portion of the body 82 under the well 2%, and a vertically disposed pump cylinder 22, having a screw-threaded lower end portion t l, is secured in the well S4, with its lower end portion projecting into the recess 9i}, as shown. The bottom wall 96 of the well 84, apart from being provided with a circular opening to accommodate the cylinder 92, is formed with a plurality of notches 8 at the edge of the cylinder-receivihg opening, while the lateral wall of the cylinder $2 is equipped with a plurality of outwardl projecting lugs lull which pass through the notches 98.

By virtue of this construction, the cylinder 92 may be easily installed by simply being passed upwardly from the recess 93 into the well as with the lugs I06 passing through the notches 98, and after the cylinder is in its proper position, it may be rotated to some extent in one direction or the other, so that the lugs IE6 are seated upon the bottom wall 35 of the well 84, thus retaining the cylinder in position.

Moreover, a clamping nut I82, provided with a gasket I9 2, is positioned on the screw-threaded portion 96 of the cylinder 92, so that by tightening the nut I32, the gasket I534 may be urged against the under-surface of the well bottom 95, to retain the cylinder in place.

The upper end of the cylinder 92 is formed integrally with a tubular extension IE5 which projects upwardly through the upper wall E of body 82, and a substantially U-shaped handle I I 9, provided with a pair of eyes i E2, is secured on the extension I98 by means of a suitable nut lid, as will be clearly apparent.

A reciprocable piston rod IIE, provided on its upper end portion with a tubular guide its, is slidable (together with the guide) in the tubular extension Slit, the upper end of the piston rod He carrying a suitable finger piece I2 3, whereby the piston rod may be pressed downwardly with the thumb, the users hand grasping the handle HE].

A piston I22 is secured to the lower end of the rod 8 l3, and a compression spring I24, disposed in the extension Hi6, normally urges the piston I22 toward the upper end of the cylinder A screw-threaded cap I26 is secured at the lower end of the cylinder Q2 and an adjusting screw I28 is provided in this cap, for the purpose of limiting the extent of downward travel of the piston I22. The cap I26 also provides a dispensing passage I38 terminating in a screw-threaded nipple #32 to which is connected by means of a suitable coupling member I3 3, an outwardly and upwardly extending dispensing conduit 13%. It is to be noted that this conduit terminates in a laterally arcuated spout I38 provided with a pivoted cap or closure I48], similar to the aforementioned cover 72.

The conduit I 1:36 extends outwardly from the recess 95 through a suitable aperture or opening M2 provided in the body 82, and it is to be noted. that the body is also equipped with a plurality of suitable legs Hid, on which the entire dispenser may rest.

Finally, it should be explained that the lateral wall of the aforementioned cylinder 92 is formed with a plurality of apertures or passages M5, which connect the interior of the cylinder with the well 84.

When the invention is placed in use, the container 88, filled with mustard, or the like, is simply installed in an inverted position on the body 82, so that the contents thereof may gravitate into the well B l and through the apertures I as into the cylinder 92.

Thereupon, by simply pressing the finger piece I25 downwardly, the piston I22 will force the catohup in the cylinder 552 through the passage I30 and through the conduit I36, as will be clearl apparent. The amount of material dispensed in each operation may be predetermined by simply adjusting the screw I23, so as to limit the extent of downward movement of the piston I22, thus varying its displacement accordingly. Needless to say, the construction of the dispenser 85 as described facilitates convenient disassembly thereof for purposes of cleaning, and

it may be added at this point that the dispenser Ill may be disassembled with equal expediency, the piston d8 thereof being accessible for cleaning purposes by simpl removing the aforementioned plug 48.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure, and, accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the claimed as new is 1. In a dispenser of the character described, the combination of a hollow body affording a well and including a top wall and a bottom wall, said bottom wall being provided with a circular opening and with a plurality of spaced notches at the edge of said opening, a vertical pump cylinder including a top and. a lateral wall havinvention, what is ing a foraminous upper portion and an externally screw-threaded lower portion, a plurality of circumferentially spaced and outwardly projecting keeper lugs provided intermediate the ends of said lateral wall and receivable in said notches, said cylinder projecting through said opening into said well and said lugs engaging the upper surface of said bottom wall, a keeper nut provided on said lateral wall under said bottom wall, a removable cap provided at the bottom of said cylinder and having an internally screw-threaded marginal flange engaging said lateral wall, said cap being provided with an outlet passage, a, piston reciprocable in said cylinder, and means provided at the top of the cylinder and projecting upwardly through said top wall for reciprocating said piston.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said top wall is provided with an aperture coaxial with said opening, said means comprising a tubular member extending upwardly from the top of said cylinder through said aperture, a substantially U-shaped handle having free end portions thereof provided with a pair of eyes positioned at vertically spaced points on said member, a nut provided on said member and urging the lower of said eyes against the upper surface of said top wall, a spring pressed plunger slidable vertically in said member and connected at its lower end to said piston, and a finger piece provided at the upper end of said plunger for coaction with said handle.

FRANK DAMIANO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

